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Scioscia says Angels need Wells to contribute

Scioscia says Angels need Wells to contribute

Vernon Wells

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CHICAGO -- Vernon Wells got another chance to break through on Saturday, but again the results weren't good.

Wells, who missed 55 games with a right thumb injury, went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and is now 0-for-15 with four strikeouts in the four games he's played since returning to a diminished role on the team.

"I think he's jumping at the ball," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "He's working on some things. You can see his load is kind of hard and I think it's affecting some of his rhythm and his timing. He's working hard on it. There's a lot of things he's working on. Hopefully he's going to find something that's going to let him contribute what he can do and what we need."

What the Angels need, at this point, is a potent bat off the bench and somebody who can spell starting outfielders Torii Hunter -- whom Wells played in place of on Saturday -- and Mark Trumbo.

"Hopefully as he gets into games and gets his opportunities, you'll start to see him contributing," Scioscia said. "You might not find a groove, but you have to have better at-bats. You might not get locked in, but it doesn't mean you're not going to contribute. Vernon should be able to go up there and be able to be on pitches and hit the ball hard with even some of the limited playing time. He has to get comfortable with that and hopefully we'll start to see it."

Wells said on Friday that he's accepted his new role, but that it's still taking some time to get used to regularly.

"You have a greater appreciation for guys who don't get to play every day," Wells said. "It's a different role, for sure. It's a different way of preparing yourself. Every day is an adjustment, for sure."